


Our Youth Is Running Out

by slater (orphan_account)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Church!Fic, CoffeeShop!Fic, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-16
Updated: 2013-03-23
Packaged: 2017-11-25 18:27:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/641732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/slater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis visits the coffee shop next to his church every morning and lunch break. Harry comes on to him religiously and Louis ignores the flutter in his stomach and the heat on his cheeks when Harry grabs him over the counter everyday to hand him his coffee. And Harry ignores the swell in his chest when Louis mumbles apologies and leaves a too-big tip even though he knows employees aren't allowed to accept them. <br/> Or <br/>The one where  Louis is never seen anywhere but the coffee shop or church and Harry would like to change that. He wants to show him so many things, starting with his bedroom ceiling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Start

“No, Harry.”

“Oh, come off it. You know you want to.”

“That's not...right Harry.”

“But...but it'll be so good. I promise you it will be.”

“Harry...” They'd be on this discussion for what felt like weeks now and the younger lad just didn't seem to get it. It's not that Louis didn't want to, because _god_ did he want. It was wrong, so so wrong even though just the thought had Louis stomach turning flips.

“They're even on sale! Half off, you see.”

“They're too heavy for breakfast!”

“Silly! It's just cookies. Have one.”

“Hmm, okay, alright. I'll have two please.”

“Above and beyond, I like it.”

A smile and notes are exchanged before the awkward silence begins. Well, it's only awkward for Louis, because Harry fucking loves this. Relishes in it. The way Louis'll stay just a minute then pretend he was just waiting for his receipt that never comes. Harry tip toes his fingertips over cardigan covered flesh up to Louis elbow, eyes locked. He pulls slightly on the shirt, just to see. Louis follows like a lost flower petal in the wind , Harry knows he didn't tug hard enough for Louis to even budge and it just inflates his ego.

“Here's your coffee, sir.” Harry breathes, their mouths too close for Louis liking, and too far apart for Harry's.

“Uhhh... How much do I owe you?”

“You already paid, sir.” Is the reply, meaning laced deep between cruel words. Sir. The implications are not lost on Louis. It speaks largely for such a small word. Says harshly, _you want this, and it's wrong and you can't do anything to stop it._

“Oh, okay thank you. I'll just go now, with my treats and such.” He steps back with a wide stride with hopes creating enough separation that lets Harry know. That no, means _no, even though I want this. But still, no._

Harry doesn't seem to agree with this idea“Wait--”

“I have to go, really.”

“All you do is go to church.”

“Your point?” Harry sighs, wondering how to get Louis to see the world as he does. To get him to experience pleasure with another, allow him to give his body wholly and hotly with no guilt or restraint, he just couldn't figure out how. He could give him so much and he knows Louis would love it.

“My point is, you should get out more.” He stated.

“I do get out. I come here don't I?”

“You should experience.” Louis eyebrows shoot up in an almost condescending way, _and here we go again_ Harry thinks. 

“Experience? Experience what?”

“Youth.”

“That's quite a broad answer.”

“That's what makes it first-class. Youth can mean anything you want it to, really.”

“If that's so, then why is my definition of youth so wrong by standards? I'm also going to take a guest and say the standards have been set by you.”

Harry smiles, a small one. Satisfaction curling in his stomach.

“Catching on.”

“On to what?”

“Ahh, nosey one you are.” He replies back, smile growing from a simple ' _this is a fun game'_ to a victorious ' _you're never gonna win this'_. 

Squinty eyed and hand squeezing the paper-plastic cup a little too harshly, Louis backs closer to the door, small hand finally reaching the handle on the exit door. “Well, yes. Goodbye now, I'll be back tomorrow maybe. Probably not.”

–

Louis comes back the next day, and the one after that, and the next week. He makes it a point to avoid conversation with Harry, but Harry's never been one to take a hint. He takes to long to brew new coffee, even if there's a full pot on the burner. And Louis'll tell Harry how he “ _really has to go, my church is having an event soon”_ or that “ _this is extremely unprofessional”_ sometimes he hits him with the famous “ _I'm never coming here again, there's a shop closer to the church anyway.”_ Harry wouldn't trade it for anything. Except the sight of Louis clutching the duvet like a lifeline because of him...he'd probably trade it for that given the chance. 

 

–

 

“Where do you even work, Louis?” Harry asks one day, stalling to give up the biscuit in his hand.

Louis laughs, a look of playfulness dancing on his features, his hand reaching towards Harry's moving one. This is how they are now, and Louis resents it. Not Harry of course, Harry is lovely. Too lovely maybe. No, Louis resents his thoughts. Impure and deceiving. It leaves him with a burning sensation around his navel,

 

something he hasn't tried to feel since he was 14(even then he was taught it was wrong). The whispers do nothing to help and what goes unsaid might be even worse. Tight looks from the younger* boy that travel up and down his body. Light sentences that linger in the air such as “ _I heard pants like that fit really good below your bum' and 'A gift, your body really. You're so pretty, I'd wish you let me see you.”_

“You know where I work, can I have my food please?” 

“No! 'Cause I don't know.” Louis face drops a deal, not liking how personal this has gotten. Harry sees it but ignores the fact.

“I work at the church.” A tentative sigh comes from him after the words have been released, like Louis is afraid Harry will think he's done something wrong and he's never been ashamed of his faith. Well, he's not ashamed now! It's just...Harry's so young(barely legal he means), and free and he doesn't seem to need anything from anyone, then there's Louis. Who's still young, but he's tied up at church-- umm work, and he needs everything from anyone who'll give it to him. He needs help when he goes to give agenda on Sunday, he needs help from the Pastor's wife during Bible study, he can't even go a day without his mother texting to remind him how to set the dishwasher before he leaves. He doesn't want Harry to stop, is the only thing, to think that the cup he holds so dear runneth over and he can't stop it. He doesn't want this, whatever _this_ is, to end. But he's not special enough to keep it going.

“The church?” Harry peaks up, an interest sparking that goes stupidly unnoticed by Louis. “Well what do you do? They pay you , yeah?”

 

“Yeah, they pay. About 600 pounds a week, pretty decent I guess. I'm...the secretary.” And Harry smiles a secret old smile, handing Louis his morning time snack.

 

It's the start of any and everything.

–

The bass is heavy and the music is waving, and Harry can't even imagine giving this up. The girl from the bar can move so sweetly, her hips give as much as they take and her hair that falls in his face is soft with a smell of lavender and vanilla. Long drags of techno beats leave his head hurting and it's the some of the most blissful pain he's ever felt. His girl- Hannah she says- doesn't put up much of a struggle as he lets large hands travel up her barely there dress. By the time they get inside the cab, she's panting from more than exhaustion. Her skin feels velvet against his, but it's too different and it's not enough. Her moans are too high and squeaky, her eyes aren't blue enough, hair not brown enough. Too much to squeeze, he realizes as he forces himself to go down on her. No hard toned chest, strong shoulders, or 

_cock._

He fucks her hard with his eyes closed, and prayers of ear plugs. She comes first(he makes sure of it, because her whines of 'please, please let me' are unbearable), then he turns her over to cum on her back. He pretends she's someone different as white splashes down her ass, pretends it's a certain boy with a flushed face because he's used the Lord's name in vain more in thirty minutes than he ever has in his entire life. That's the moment he realises he really need Louis, in more ways than one. 

 

Louis comes back to the shop the following Tuesday with a swing in his hips and an announcement. The church he's in is hosting a banquet for their sister church from America,

 

“And I'm in charge of it! I have help, of course but Pastor Payne trusted me with this! The biggest event of the year.”

 

“Pastor Payne you said? The young lad, yeah?”

 

“He's not that young. Just a little over 26. What he lacks in age he makes up for in wisdom no doubt.”

 

“Oh, I suppose Louis.” A thought hits him as Louis takes the first sip of his coffee with a grimace at the sudden heat he was expecting hit his tongue. “Can anyone come?”

 

“Yes. It'd be better if they let the church know they were attending, so we don't run out of refreshments.”

The silent ' _can I come, s'what I meant. Can I?'_ hangs low in the small shop, customers sitting around at tables and benches. Discussing new hairdos and bank statements and love while Patrick Watson plays mellow in the background, painting the perfect scene for heartbreak and excitement to coincide. 

 

Harry musters a look carelessness best he can, before stuttering out his response. “Hey, maybe I'll come. Add some life to the party. Has to be a bit drab,no?” 

 

“I'll see you Sunday at six.” Louis grins, like he's won a battle he didn't know he was fighting in until now. “Wait, what's your name?”

 

“You don't know my name?” Harry breathes out in a sigh.

“Well, I have a guess. If that makes it any better.”

“It doesn't.”

Louis stands awkward bouncing on his toes.”So...” He lets out after a moment, and with a shaky grin ,

“Henry?”

“Harry!”

–

Sunday doesn't come fast enough for Louis and too fast for Harry. It stealthy he thinks, and he wishes he would have never even asked about it. He could've easily let the conversation drop and end Louis time with a few dirty words and crude looks. But he didn't. He didn't because he's seventeen and naive and has too much pride for his own damn good. The fact that he can't blame anyone but himself makes the situation difficult, and the clock next to him screaming 8:30 in neon red makes the situation annoying, but the cold truth that he still hasn't left the comfort of his bed and he needs to be at the church by nine makes him want to throw a tantrum.

 

And he doesn't own a suit. 

Or a dress shirt.

Not even suitable trousers.

The Bible been used as a coaster for Zayn's bong since last Tuesday.

 

Fuck.

 


	2. Can we keep this going?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short but i wanted to just put something out there before i post my other fic. It's more like a preview so I hope you enjoy it!

 

“We are joined here today, in the house of the lord as one. Today is a day of celebration as is any day, and we should not take this for granted.....”

The door opens with a loud, long _swooosh_. All eyes focus backwards towards a disheveled Harry.

 

“Hi.” There are small murmurs and a few degrading looks, but withing a few seconds church resumes with what Harry is sure will be it's very long, boring, service. He sits on the pew fifth to last, next to a pretty girl with brown hair. 

“Nice entrance.” She whispers into his ear when, who Harry assumes to be, Pastor Payne goes back to talking. Her accent is American and her voice seems to be deep overall, not just from the low voice she uses. 

“Go big or go home, my motto.”

The girl giggles and covers her mouth. She doesn't mean any harm or insistence, he concludes, just wants a talking buddy. He's happy to oblige and the spends the next thirty minutes chatting about nothing while Harry sneaks glances around the hall in search of Louis.

“My old boyfriend attends here, you know.” The girl, whose name he's learned is Sumer, says, putting air quotes around the term.

“Doesn't seem like you were happy 'bout it.”

“Well, I mean. It was okay I guess. The only problem was one day he told me he was happy we were just friends, and then he started talking about marriage the next month. Didn't really work out.”

Harry lets out a snort and a sympathetic smile. “What's his name, you said?”

“Oh, it's Zayn. He was really, what do you guys call it over here? Oh, he was right fit.” She retorts and the phrase sounds broken coming from her, but the effort makes him laugh quietly. 

They both quiet down as the previously mentioned Zayn brings all attention to the front, saying that he's about to sing. _Nice voice. Really nice actually. Nothing you would expect from the church, you know?_

She keeps talking but it goes in an ear and out the other because he can hear Pastor Payne say Zayn and _Louis._ Not only that,their title is “the best we have here in london” and now he can't focus on anything except Louis voice. It's soft and sits awkwardly atop Zayn's echo but its beautiful none the less. Their singing a rendition of “ _Wayfaring Stranger”._

 

“No it's from the 19th century, Harry.”

“ I thought it was Ed Sheeran's song?” Harry asks.

“Who?” 

“Nobody.”

 

Louis's notes flow around the room without restraint and Harry briefly wonders why it's just two people and not an entire choir, but he's never been very spiritual so they must know something he doesn't. Besides, he really can't find a reason to complain about Louis being in what feels like his own personal spotlight. The song ends slowly, a long note from Zayn taking up the space in and around the church. 

There's light clapping and small encouragements from the congregation, all the while Louis and Zayn nod politely in thanks. The rest of the service goes as Harry had expected. It's long and drawn out by old ladies getting too excited in the front of the pews, and the message itself had left Harry beyond confused towards the second verse. 

But he'll manage. 

Service ends around 11:30 with a lengthy ending prayer and Sumer talking about her plans to tell Zayn off in person finally. It's not that Harry doesn't care about her constant whining, it's just that he can't see Louis anymore and that's really the only reason he came anyway. He definitely didn't come to here hear a 16 year old tell him about her pet dog, or to hear a young pastor ask why did he decide to visit.

“Well...um.” Harry starts, eyes still darting the room in search of Louis. “It was Louis actually. He told me about the, function maybe? Yeah the function so I thought what the hell. Go for it.” He smiles in a timid way, afraid that he might have given the wrong answer. 

Pastor Payne clears his throat shortly, noticeably taking a small step back away from Harry, visibly uncomfortable with Harry's lack of manners. “Yes. Thank you, for visiting. We hope to see you more.” Pastor Payne nods his head and walks away, going to talk with one of the women who passed out earlier. 

 

At least it was an experience. 

 

The congregation is still noisy as they go to collect their dinner, and Harry can see many people plotting with others to get extra potato salad.

 

“Harry!” Harry turns around to the familiar voice, to Louis. Standing small and beautiful and glowing and Harry can tell just how much he loves this.

 


End file.
